Stopper for a container

ABSTRACT

A stopper, configured to engage with an annular shoulder of a container in a clamping fit, comprises a circular bottom section which closes the container opening, and two head sections which project beyond the container. In between the head sections a slide is arranged which in a retracted initial state assumes, together with the head sections, a substantially frusta conical shape tapering to the upper side. The frusta conical edge has a maximum diameter which is at the most, as large as the outer diameter of the container at the container opening. The slide is adapted to be pushed forwards under the action of a force of a predetermined magnitude in one direction beyond the rim of the container. The projected slide can be gripped by a user to lever off the stopper from the container.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a stopper for a container which preferably has a circular cylindrical shape with or without a container neck and is particularly configured to receive tablets, dragées, or other substances, for instance in the form of a powder or granulate. The stopper engages with an annular shoulder, which in cross section may have a bulged-out shape on the outside, into the container so that it can only be removed from the container by applying a force directed away from the container. Furthermore, the stopper comprises a circular bottom section which is integral with the annular shoulder and which closes the container opening, and a head section formed thereon, which projects beyond the container and in which a slide is displaceably arranged, the slide being adapted to be advanced or pushed forwards beyond the container rim and forming, in said position, a lever with which the stopper can be removed from the container.

PRIOR ART

European patent EP 053 76 01, which goes back to the applicant of the present application, discloses a stopper in the head section of which such a slide is arranged. Said slide has a recessed grip formed in the upper side, into which a user grips with one finger to push the slide forwards beyond the container rim. The slide in the retracted initial position is here held by a projection on the bottom section of the stopper over which the slide can slide without the application of a considerable force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a stopper of the type under consideration, which is childproof, i.e., it is here ensured to a high degree that infants cannot remove the stopper from the associated container so that they do not gain access to the container contents, which might be dangerous to their health

According to the invention and for achieving said object, the slide which is arranged between two head sections assumes together with said sections a frustoconical shape tapering towards the upper side of the stopper, said slide extending in straight fashion centrally between the head sections and being equipped at both ends with circumferential sections which are in smooth alignment with the circumferential sections of the head sections of the stopper part and form, together with said sections, the edge of the stopper member projecting beyond the container, said edge having a frustoconical shape on the whole. The frustoconical edge has a maximum diameter that is at the most as large as the outer diameter of the container on the container opening, so that the frustoconical edge does not project beyond the container end can thus not be gripped from below for levering off the stopper. The stopper can only be levered off from the container with the help of the slide pushed forwards beyond the edge of the container.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the slide can only be pushed forwards under the action of a force of a predetermined magnitude in one direction beyond the rim of the container, to which end the bottom section of the stopper has formed thereon, in the path of movement of the slide, a projection which is preferably curved when viewed in cross section, and a stop at a distance from said curved projection of a preferably semicircular shape. An elastically deformable bolt which preferably extends in the transverse direction of the slide and which in the retracted initial position of the slide rests on the curved projection of the bottom section and holds the slide in the retracted initial position is formed on the bottom side of the slide. To push the slide forwards, the user exerts a considerable force on the rearward frustoconical edge section of the slide, said force effecting a bending out of the bolt of the slide in the manner of a spring, so that the bolt can slide over the curved projection until it impinges on the vertical stop of the bottom section, whereby the advance movement of the slide is stopped. The stopper can now be levered off from the container with the help of the slide section projecting beyond the container.

Since the slide together with the head sections assumes a frustoconical shape virtually without any seam and since neither a trough-like recess nor an upwardly protruding projection that may attract an infant's interest in playing with the stopper is positioned in the upper side of the slide, the child does not recognize that the slide can be pushed in one direction out of the head sections of the stopper, especially since a considerable force would have to be exerted on the edge section of the slide for this purpose. Hence, the stopper according to the invention is childproof.

According to further details of the invention the front circumferential section of the slide that can be pushed forwards out of the head sections of the stopper is broader than the remaining body of the slide, and the laterally projecting members rest in the retracted initial position of the slide on stops of the head sections of the stopper. Thus, the retracted initial position of the slide is fixed in a position in which the circumferential sections of the slide pass smoothly into the circumferential sections of the head sections of the stopper. When the slide is pushed back into said initial position, the bolt slides again on the bottom side of the slide with elastic deformation over the curved stop on the bottom of the head sections, locking in place directly behind the projection, whereby the slide is immovably retained.

The upper side of the slide is in alignment with the upper side of the head sections, the slide on the upper side substantially resting on the upper side of the head sections, which is also true for the circumferential sections, so that the slide is hardly noticeable as an independent component. The upper side of the slide is preferably smooth, as should also be the upper side of the head sections.

Viewed in cross section, the slide substantially has the shape of a downwardly broadening trapezoid and is seated in correspondingly shaped recesses of the head sections, so that although it is movable in its longitudinal direction, it is not upwardly movable between the head pieces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container comprising an inventive stopper having a slide which is in the retracted initial position,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but with the slide being advanced or pushed forwards;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the combination consisting of container and stopper according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the combination consisting of container and stopper according to FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a cross section through the area of the slide along a plane positioned in a direction perpendicular to the sectional plane of FIGS. 3 and 4.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a container 1 with a stopper provided with reference numeral 2 on the whole, in which a slide 3 is centrally arranged, passing from one edge to the other. In the retracted initial position of the slide 3, which is shown in FIG. 1, the two lateral members 4 of the stopper 2 together with the slide 3 assume a frustoconical shape, with the outsides of said members substantially abutting on each other, so that the slide 3 in the illustrated closed state is hardly noticeable.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the arrangement of FIG. 1 through the central longitudinal axis of the slide 3. The stopper 2 includes a circular bottom section 5 which closes the container 1 and rests with its edge on an annular shoulder in the container wall so that the circumference of the bottom section presents no possible means of attack for levering off the stopper.

The bottom section 5 has formed thereon an annular shoulder 7 whose curved outside 8 firmly rests on the inner wall of the container 1, whereby the stopper 2 is held in a fixed clamping fit in the container opening. In the inner wall of the container 1, a surrounding recess may be formed for receiving a bulged-out section of the annular shoulder 7.

Radially inside the annular shoulder 7, a further annular shoulder 9 is formed on the bottom section 5, said shoulder 9 possibly forming a drying agent chamber.

Furthermore, the bottom section 5 has formed thereon two head sections opposite to each other at some distance, which accommodate the slide 3 thereinbetween. Said head sections 10 have an obliquely inwardly extending circumferential wall 11 whose height and inclination are matching with circumferential sections 12, 13 of the slide 3. The circumferential sections 11, 12 and 13 jointly form a surrounding ring of a frustoconical shape.

A projection 15 of semicircular cross-section which extends in a direction transverse to the plane of the drawing of FIG. 3 and which has positioned thereon a bolt or web 16 extending along a straight line downwards on the bottom side of the slide 3 is formed in a recess 14 in the bottom section 5. The web 16 is so dimensioned that whenever a predetermined force is exerted on the circumferential section 12 of the slide 3 it is elastically deformed such that it can slide beyond the projection 15, i.e. up to a step 17 on the bottom section 5 which defines the advance movement of the slide in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. In this position, the slide 3 projects beyond the rim of the container 1 such that it can be gripped from below by a user to lever off the stopper from the container 1.

The front circumferential section 13 of the slide 3 has a larger width than the otherwise straight slide 3. The laterally projecting sections 18 rest in the retracted initial position of the slide 3 on stops 19 of the two head sections of the stopper 2, said position being fixed by the bolt 15 which is now again locked in place behind the projection 15.

As shown in FIG. 5, the slide 3 has a downwardly broadening trapezoidal shape in the cross section perpendicular to its longitudinal axis and is held in a correspondingly shaped recess between the two lateral head sections, so that it is not upwardly movable relative to the two head sections. 

1. A stopper which engages with an annular shoulder in a clamping fit into a container, comprising a circular bottom section which closes the container opening, and two head sections which project beyond the container and between which a slide is arranged which in the retracted initial state assumes, together with the head sections, substantially a frustoconical shape tapering to the upper side, said slide extending centrally between the head sections and terminating at both sides in circumferential sections of the frustoconical edge, said frustoconical edge having a maximum diameter which is at the most as large as the outer diameter of the container on the container opening, the slide being adapted to be pushed forwards under the action of a force of a predetermined magnitude in one direction beyond the rim of the container.
 2. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein in the path of movement of the slide the bottom section of the stopper has formed thereon a projection on which in the initial position of the slide an elastically deformable bolt of the slide is abutting and can slide over the projection upon application of a force, and a stop for the bolt at a distance from the projection for defining the advance movement of the slide.
 3. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential section of the slide which is the rear one in the direction of advance movement of the slide forms the force application surface for advancing the slide.
 4. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein the front circumferential section of the slide is broader than the remaining body of the slide and that the laterally projecting members in the retracted initial position of the slide abut on stops of the head sections of the stopper.
 5. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein the upper side of the slide is in alignment with the upper side of the head sections.
 6. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein the upper side of the slide is free from recessed grips and/or projections.
 7. The stopper according to claim 1, wherein the slide, viewed in cross section, substantially has a downwardly broadening trapezoidal shape and is seated in correspondingly formed recesses of the two head sections.
 8. A combination comprising a stopper according to claim 1 and a container, said container being provided on the edge of its opening with an inner annular shoulder on which the bottom section of the stopper is positioned. 